The Scripps National Spelling Bee, celebrating its centennial, kicks off in Maryland with 243 spellers competing for $52,500.

The Scripps National Spelling Bee, marking its 100th anniversary, has resumed with 243 spellers competing in Maryland. The competition features increasingly difficult words, aiming to determine a champion within a two-hour broadcast. Spellers progress through several rounds, including a possible lightning round if no single winner emerges. The victor receives $52,500 in cash prizes and $400 in Encyclopedia Britannica works; in a tie, each champion gets $50,000.